


A sword right by her heart

by 35391291



Category: Beowulf: Return To The Shieldlands (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character Study, Gen, Punk Rock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 08:46:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7708561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/35391291/pseuds/35391291
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>That sword in her heart will keep her from harm, and if needed, keep her from herself.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	A sword right by her heart

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by/dedicated to [im_significant](http://archiveofourown.org/users/im_significant).

When you’ve had a rough life, you learn to look tougher. You dress just so, hard to reach, unpierceable, bulletproof. All rough and sharp edges, leather and metal to hide your heart from the elements, and to protect yourself from predators.

Rheda knows a thing or two about them. As a woman, she’s had to battle them all her life. Those who said she wasn’t good enough, strong enough, or capable enough. Those who laughed and underestimated her strength. Those who preyed, those who took.

It takes years to build self-respect, and then many more to make it come across. It takes many drinks, many battles, many heartaches, and not enough solace. Too many years of skinned knees, smeared make-up, and late nights that turn into cruel mornings. She falls down and gets up, so many times, until she can walk alone but unafraid. She can fight her own battles now, but still it’s reassuring to know that her steps are watched by sisters, shadows and allies. It’s easier to be strong when someone walks beside her and has her back. It’s easier, because she keeps a sword right by her heart.

She has learnt all the rules, and then how to break them. How to grab fate by the neck and make it happen, make it go the way she wants it to. It’s never easy, it’s never smooth, but real life never is. She is willing to be flexible, but never to lose herself in the lies and deceptions she sees all around her. That’s the line she’ll never cross.

Life is gritty, cruel, but real. She still sleeps with a knife under her pillow, and the engraving on the blade gives her some much needed reassurance. If she has to, she’ll use it to cut through anything or anyone that dares to harm her. This is not a threat: it’s a promise. It’s what life has taught her. That sword in her heart will keep her from harm, and if needed, keep her from herself.

And now, the sound of distant drums is both a warning and a reminder. She is here. She belongs. She is in charge, whatever happens. The power that vibrates within her makes her feel slightly dizzy. But she can handle it, because it’s real, it’s hers, it stands for what she was always meant to become. No matter what they say, it’s not a mistake.

She is sharp and quick as a blade, the one that still lives deep within her heart, hidden there, after so many years. The blade makes sure that she doesn’t look back. The certainty of who and what she is makes her feel both drunk and sober. They know, and she knows. All her sharp edges are ready, waiting, completely aware. Her heart could slay anything, anyone. She opens the door, and walks out into the unknown.


End file.
